Multitap transformer terminal and insulator securing means



' Aug. 30, 1960 E. s. CORNELL, JR 2,951,227

MULTITAP TRANSFORMER TERMINAL AND INSULATOR SECURING MEANS Filed Dec.31, 1956 Z64 INVENTOR.

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XMJFFM/ United States Patent MULTIT AP TRANSFORMER TERIVIINAL ANDINSULATOR SECURING MEANS Edward S. Cornell, Jr., Westport, Conn.,assignor to Burndy Corporation, a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 31,1956, Ser. No. 631,960

1 Claim. (Cl. 339-32) My invention relates to a multitap transformerterminal, by which I mean a transformer terminal to which a connectionmay be made in either a horizontal or a vertical position.

Previously, a standard eye and basket design was employed, wherein aneyebolt mated into a basket with vertical grooves or lips provided forhorizontal or vertical entrance. The conductor was inserted into theeye, and upon tightening the nut, compression was achieved and aconnection made.

Among the objects of my invention are to provide a multitap transformerterminal having a large surface contact area whereby aluminum, as :wellas copper condoctors may be suitably secured; to provide such a terminalin a design that lends itself to manufacture by plastic deformationwhereby the metal will be work hardened to approximately the ultimatelimit of the alloy being used; and to provide a locating means forholding the terminal to the transformer insulator whereby a single sizeterminal may be assembled in a variety of customer installations,thereby reducing the cost of manufacture and inventory requirements.

I accomplish these and other objects and obtain my new results as willbe apparent from the device described in the following specification,particularly pointed out in the claim, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. !l is a perspective View of my multitap terminal mounted to theinsulator of a transformer.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectioned view of the terminal itself.

Fig. 3 is the conductor inserting end view of the same.

Fig. 4 is the transformer insulator attaching end view of the same.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a tongue and groove pressure bar modification.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modified form of clamping screw and barattaching means.

A cylindrically shaped terminal body 10 is preferably employed, as isshown in Fig. l. The shape may be obtained on a screw machine, or byforging, casting, or drawing, and is preferably formed by plasticdeformation which work hardens the metal to a degree approaching itsultimate limit.

The body has transverse and axially positioned cable holes 12 and 14,respectively, the axes of which are 90 apart to provide the horizontaland vertical connections.

In the plastic deformation process, hole 14 is formed for one of thepositions of the cable connection. Hole 16 is also formed on theopposite end of the cylindrical body and threaded for receiving one endof threaded post 18 inserted through the transformer insulator 20.

A drilled and tapped hole 22 transversely positioned with respect toholes 12 and 14, is provided for the clamping screw 24. A pressure bar26 having crossgrooves 28 and 30 is inserted into the junction of theholes 12 and 14.

, 2 The pressure bar may be a solid element, as illustrated in Fig. 2,or two sections 32 and 34 which are assembled within the hollow body atinterlocking grooves 36 and 38, respectively, as shown in Fig. 5.

The pressure bar is centrally apertured as at 40 for the clamping screwtip 42 which is inserted therein and peened over to provide a unitaryassembly of screw and bar, one rotatable with respect to the other.

A locating means 44 for aligning the terminal assembly to the insulatoris illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4. It comprises a washer-like element withextending ears 46 for locking into the recesses 48 of the insulator. The10- cating means may be of any type corresponding to the differentinsulator requirements. Each, however, has an opening 50 with a fiatside 52 to permit fitting over the stem 54 of the connector body, whichis similarly shaped to receive the washer in a drive fit to preventaccidental loosening.

Thus a single connector body may be accommodated with an interchangeablelocking member having an external shaft corresponding to the particularcustomers requirement. This reduces the cost of manufacture and theinventory requirement. The change is made economically and easily as theinsulator design is made known.

The foregoing design provides a connector body made of work hardenedmetal. The pressure bar is provided with generous surface contactingareas for engaging aluminum as well as copper cables, since aluminumrequires more surface area than copper in order to avoid fiattening thewire, with loss of contact. Horizontal or vertical connections may bemade to the terminal, as is evident from the construction shown anddescribed.

A modified form of clamping screw 24a and pressure bar 26a is shown inFig. 6. The end of the screw is spear-shaped as at 42a, with the pointslotted as at 42b to permit the spear points to be resiliently cammedtogether at taper 40a into recess 40b, until the shoulder 42c of thespear engages stop 400 of the pressure bar. When the screw is insertedinto the connector body and the pressure bar is inserted through theconductor opening, thus eliminating the peening operation previouslydescribed, the two parts may be snap fitted to each other.

I have thus described my invention, but I desire it understood that itis not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, thesame being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carriedout in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention,and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalentinstrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claim, and bymeans of which, objects of my invention are attained and new resultsaccomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments hereinshown and described are only some of the many that can be employed toattain these objects and accomplish these results.

I claim:

A termination for a transformer having a post threaded at one end,comprising an insulator mounted coaxially on said post, a terminal forattachment to said post including a cylindrically-shaped body memberhaving axial and transverse joining holes for alternatively receivingconductors spaced apart, a pressure bar positioned inside the holeshaving crossed conductor engaging surfaces, a clamping screw threaded tosaid body member and adapted to compress said pressure bar to theconductor, a socket axially in line with said axial hole for joiningsaid terminal to the threaded end of said post, a stern section coaxialwith said socket, .a washer-like part coupled to said stern section andlocked against relative rotation therewith and mating means on saidinsulator 3 V and washer-like part to prevent relative rotation there-2,105,129 between. 2,499,985 2,719,277 References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 246 096 1,016,146 Hawes Jan. 30,1912 343:073

1,934,581 Bach Nov. 7, 1933 4 R-idgers Jan. 11; 1938 Cafiero Mar. 7,1950 Rice Sept. 27, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland Dec. 15, 1946Germany Jan. 28, 1922

